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Thursday, March 24, 2011

I live at Walt Disney World, as in, Walt Disney World is my home. When I want to go to the parks, I can just go. I can get on a bus, and be there within 45 minutes, though it should only be 10-20 minutes, but the bus system is horrible. Nonetheless, it's a lot better than the 6-8 hours it took me to get to Disneyland from my home in northern California. Though, I may add the idiom: good things come to those who wait.

It's something I always wanted: complete and unbridled access to the Disney Parks. And it feels...weird. When there's not that sense of urgency, that sense of fleeting excitement, it's almost just another day.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not just another day when you can go on Rock N' Roller coaster or see the gorgeous golfball Spaceship Earth, or you get to see a castle transform into a rocket and then take off. Really, just seeing a castle kind of makes that day a wee-bit more special than a typical day.

I'm going to be honest though, that pressure of a vacation, that sense of urgency, it really makes you look at things differently. I'm not saying I'm bored, because I'm not. I love having a main gate pass to all the parks here at Walt Disney World, but it's a different type of love than when you've got a Key to the World, and you're here with your family. It's different, not different in a way that is better or worse (maybe a little better, but not in a "I'm so negative about my current situation" kind of way), just different.

It could just be the fact that I'm spending 9 months at the U.S.'s most popular vacation destination, and I'm neither on vacation, nor is it a destination. It's a reality, not a vacation built on fantasy. That doesn't mean it isn't fun, though.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Yes. I see "Wishes," "The Magic, The Memories and You," "The Main Street Electrical Parade" and the "Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade" just about every day I work. Not all of them in the same day, but almost always at least one of them.

For many people, experiencing something in such a repetitive manner could cause complete disgust and disdain for whatever that reoccurring thing is.

The Main Street Electrical Parade

Often times, I am that person who is seriously annoyed by the same thing. Some examples of this might be: the horrible music they play in the Utilidoor. Apparently, Sirius XM's stations have a 12 song playlist they stick to religiously. Or maybe the music in Tomorrowland. Or maybe people asking me what I have at my wagon right after they walked by the menu. That stuff can get annoying. But that stuff doesn't blow up, glow, shimmer, or transform a castle into a number of fantastical things.

Sure, the shows aren't as spectacular to me the fifth time as they were the first time, but they still have that shimmer of magic that only Disney can provide.

Wishes

One of the more fun things of seeing the shows dozens of times is that you slowly start to memorize the entire thing. For instance, I can tell what part of the "Wishes" is happening from the Westclock bus stop, located behind where the fireworks go off, just from what particular firework is going on that that moment. Or I can wave an imaginary wand and turn off all the lights in the park at the beginning of the Main Street Electrical parade, or say along with Walt "To all who come to this happy place, welcome" at the end of "The Magic, The Memories, and You" without even looking at the castle.

The fact that in a small way, all this makes me feel cool, is a little questionable, but that's ok. I'm a Disney nerd, I mean, you are reading my blog about Disney right now, so what do you expect?

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Today, the first day of the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, I went on a topiary adventure. Most of the other stuff at the festival didn't really excite me that much.

But the topiaries, oh those topiaries. I've alway been fascinated with them. In fact, my whole family has been for as long as I can remember. When we stay at a hotel at Disneyland, it's more often than not the Stovall’s Inn Best Western, because of the topiaries, as as the "Best" denotes in Best Western, Best Westerns are the best in the west. In all other Cardinal directions, they're not as good. Nor do they have topiaries, which doesn't help.

I've been to Epcot quite a bit lately, to see Bill Nye, to experience all 12 of their rides, and because I just found myself there sometimes. Every visit, I've noticed the topiaries, and they have excited me. When I learned about the new Toy Story 3 sculpted-bush tribute, I about fell of my seat.

So, I had the day off, due to low attendance in the park and there being no need for me, so I took full advantage. My first stop was Hollywood Studios, where I did Rockin' Roller Coaster twice, since I went there last thursday, and it being a Fantasmic! night, there were 80 minute lines, and me having terrible luck, the single rider option was not available (Added to my log of terrible luck today, the first time I got on it, they sent 3 empty limos right past us, due to some technical glitch they were having.) I also went on Tower of Terror, drew Woody at the animation academy, and met Lotso. What does this have to do with topiaries? Nothing!

Then I took the ferry over to Epcot, and got down to the topiary business, much like I am now with my writing. For some reason, I chose to systematically go through the Flower and Garden Festival map, making sure I got a picture of every topiary AFTER I left the park. I discovered that I missed a couple. I have Friday off, too, so I'll get the missing T-P (topiary pictures, though now that I explained it, making abbreviating it seems to have lost its purpose). But for now, all I have are these 29 pictures. Enjoy.